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A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journals of the Continental Congress --SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1778
It appearing, by intelligence this day received from camp, that alarming consequences are likely to ensue from a longer delay of appointing proper persons to fill the several offices in the quarter master's department:
Resolved, That the committee of Congress at the camp, in conjunction with General Washington, be authorized forthwith to make the proper appointments for the quarter master general's department.
A letter of 21, from Dr. W. Shippen, was read;1 Whereupon,
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XX, folio 193.]
Resolved, That a surgeon general be appointed for the hospital in the middle department, in the room of Dr. Brown, promoted; the ballots being taken,
Dr. Charles M'Knight was elected.
Whereas, the duty of the person who executes the office of secretary and pay master of the hospital in the middle department, is important and difficult:
Resolved, That the pay of the person who executes those offices in the hospital in the middle department, be augmented to three dollars a day.
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The Committee on the Treasury brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favour of General Weedon, in discharge of a bill drawn by William Palfrey, Esqr. pay master general, in his favour, on the President of Congress, for the sum of two thousand five hundred dollars, which is to be charged to the pay master general:
That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favour of Joseph Nourse, pay master to the Board of War and Ordnance, for the sum of 500,000 dollars, to be by him transmitted to William Palfrey, Esqr. pay master general, and for which he is to be accountable:
That a warrant issue on the treasurer for the sum of forty thousand dollars, in favour of William Shippen, Jun. director general of all the military hospitals, for the use of the middle district; for which the director is to be accountable:
That another warrant be issued on Thomas Smith, Esq. commissioner of the loan office for the State of Pensylvania, for the sum of 35,000 dollars, in favour of the said director general, for the use of the said district; for which he is to be accountable;
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, for 500,000 dollars, in favour of the delegates of Georgia, to be advanced to that State for the sole purpose of calling in the currency of the said State, that has been emitted for the support of the continental troops; this sum to include the sum of four hundred thousand dollars granted for that purpose by the resolution of 15 August last.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 93.]
Resolved, That the pay master general be directed to consult with General Washington on the propriety of keeping a deputy pay master at Baltimore, and if he shall
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judge such an, officer unnecessary, to inform Mr. Jonathan Hudson, that the public service not requiring his farther assistance in this capacity, he is excused therefrom by Congress, and is ordered to adjust his accounts with the pay master general as soon as may be.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 97.]
The Committee on the Treasury report, "That they have taken into consideration the application of Baron de Holtzendorf; that by the agreement made at Paris between Mr. Deane and the Baron, it does not appear that the Baron is entitled to any sum for the defraying of his expences from and to Europe, or to any compensation on account of the loss of his equipage; that the Baron's claim, as being one of the officers accompanying Major General de Kalb to America, does not appear well founded, it being evident, from the resolves of Congress of September 8th, 1777, that those gentlemen were not employed in the service of the United States, but, in consideration of their zeal for that purpose, it was judged expedient to pay their expences; neither does it appear, on any other principles of justice, that he is entitled to the claims aforesaid;" Whereupon,
Resolved, That the sum of one thousand dollars, or such part thereof as he may require, be advanced to the Baron de Holtzendorf, to discharge the debts he may have contracted, and to enable him to return to Paris, he giving bills of exchange for the amount of any balance that may be due to the United States, in the same manner as Brigadier General de Fermoy.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 99.]
Resolved, That General Washington be directed to order a major general to take the command of the troops in the State of Rhode Island, in the place of Major General Spencer, resigned.
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A letter from General Washington to Robert ∥L.∥ Hooper, Nathaniel Falconer, and Jonathan Mifflin, was laid before Congress, and read; also, an extract of a letter from Mr. [William] Duet to Mr. [Francis Lightfoot] Lee.1
[Note 1: 1 A copy of this letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, V, folio 303.]
Ordered, That copies of the same be sent by express to the executive council of Pensylvania, and that it be most earnestly recommended to them to exert the whole powers of the State in providing and forwarding to the army, by every possible means, supplies of provisions, (especially of the meat kind,) and forage, with the utmost despatch.
Resolved, That the Board of War immediately employ a suitable number of proper persons on the east side of the Susquehanna, to purchase meat and forage for the army, and to forward the same to the camp with all possible expedition, having respect to the prices fixed by the laws of the State of Pensylvania.
The Marine Committee, to whom was referred the complaint of the navy board in the middle department, against Captain Barry, report, as their opinion,
"That Captain Barry hath treated the said board, in the person Mr. Hopkinson, one of that board, with indecency and disrespect, and that he ought, within twenty days after this resolve shall have been notified to him by the said board, make such acknowledgment as shall be satisfactory to them:"
On the question put to agree to the report,
Resolved in the affirmative.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock on Monday.
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